


Abscond

by VioletNuisance



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Ghiralink - Freeform, M/M, Slow Burn, botw, but probz more angst, how do you tag, oh no
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 17:05:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11787576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletNuisance/pseuds/VioletNuisance
Summary: Abscond (verb): to run away and hide.For the past 100 years, Ghirahim has been the master at absconding. He's easily hidden from society and erased himself from history. However, when a clueless blond stumbles across him, old wounds begin to reopen.Or, in which Ghirahim's own 'red thread of fate' comes back to bite him in the butt.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Can someone plz tell me how the heCK you italicize on this website???

She could feel everyone’s eyes on her, and even with Link by her side throughout all of this, it gave her little comfort. She kept her eyes on the ground, head bowed, hoping that they maybe wouldn’t ask the question that she knew they would. However, as they approached her, their attention was past the point of suffocating. She was silently drowning in the gaze of all their hopeful eyes and worried voices.

“Well?” Daruk was the first to break the tense silence. She hesitantly raised her head to meet all of their gazes. The words couldn't escape her though. Her tongue felt leaden in her mouth, and she stifled a cry. She was a failure. “Don’t keep us in suspense. How’d everything go up there on the mountain?”

She merely stopped walking to look at all of them. As her silence grew, she could see the hopes all of them had been bearing vanish. Finally, she shook her head, still not trusting her own voice. “So you didn’t feel anything? No power at all?” Revali asked.

“I’m sorry, no,” she apologized, bowing her head. Ghirahim elbowed the Rito in the side, causing both of them to exchange glares.

“I think what Revali was trying to say is that maybe you won’t immediately feel the power. It could be very well be inside of you but is waiting for a crucial moment to reveal itself,” Ghirahim explained. The Rito just rolled his eyes.

“Either way, let's move on,” Urbosa firmly stated. “You’ve done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won’t be of any help.” 

Zelda glanced up at her as if about to apologize yet again but was interrupted. “After all, it’s not like your last shot was up there on Mount Lanayru. Anything could spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that...thing,” Urbosa finished explaining. The rest of the champions nodded their heads in agreement, appreciating murmurs going to and fro.

“That’s kind of you. Thank you,” Zelda whispered. She still refused to glance up, and her voice was deadpan. It was as if she had already given up any hope she might have had in the past.

“If I may,” Zelda’s eyes barely peeked upwards to address the new voice speaking to her. “I thought you… Well, I’m not sure how to put this into words. I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it,” Mipha hesitantly admitted. Everyone waited for her to finish and the Zora’s eyes briefly met Link’s for a second.

“But I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind,” she started again. “It helps me when I think-when I think about-” Mipha was cut off as a loud boom echoed throughout the land, the ground beneath their feet violently shook not even a second later. Zelda let out an undignified exclamation as she lost her balance but soon felt a steadying hand on her back. She looked behind herself, at Link. He only offered her a half nod, the only solace he could give.

“What the hell was that?” Ghirahim growled, voicing everyone’s worries. He pointedly looked at the Rito, and Revali took into the air not a moment later. He grunted as a particularly powerful gust of wind threatened to send him falling back down, but made himself fly up a little further to see what was going on.

“Not good,” Revali muttered to himself as violet lightning shot down on Hyrule castle and smoky clouds soon set down on the land. As another gust of wind attacked him, he quickly flew down to land again. Everyone looked at him expectantly, but before he could say anything, a demonic roar shook the ground again. With that, everyone realized what was happening.

“It’s here,” Urbosa voiced.

“This is it then,” Daruk added, causing Zelda to worriedly look between them.

“Are you sure?” She frantically asked. This was too soon. Ganon couldn’t be here yet.

“Positive,” Revali noted with finality. 

Zelda felt winded, as if she had been struck in the gut. She knew he was going to awaken soon, but not this soon! “It’s awake… Ganon!” The three words were all she could get out, but they seemed to sober everyone.

“Let’s stop wasting time!” Daruk suddenly exclaimed, turning to face everyone. “We’re going to need everything we got to take that thing down! Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault.”

The Goron turned his attention to Link. “Little guy! You get to Hyrule Castle. You can count on us for support, but it’s up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!”

“Come,” Urbosa said to Zelda. The blonde could barely register her words. “We should go. We need to get you someplace safe.”  
Zelda shook her head at that. “No! I am not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield, but there must… There must be something I can do to help!”

“Absolutely not,” Ghirahim snapped back. Everyone glanced at him as if he had just kicked a puppy. “You have got to be kidding me. It’s too dangerous for her! She doesn’t even have her power yet!”

“Weren’t you the one saying she may have it, but just can’t ‘feel’ it yet?’ Revali dryly pointed out.

“So you want to put her life in danger because she might have something?” Ghirahim darkly whispered. “Or are you willing to put her life on the line just to soothe your fallen ego?”

“I’d watch your tongue, demon,” the Rito spat out.

“Bite me, bird brain,” Ghirahim seethed.

“Stop fighting guys! Now is really not the time! ” Zelda exclaimed. “I know it’s going to be dangerous, but I’m going with you guys. I can’t hide somewhere and do nothing through all of this.” Ghirahim let out a huff of annoyance but let the subject drop.

“We don’t have time to waste with arguing. Let’s go!” Daruk shouted.

As all of the champions ran off to their Divine Beast, Link and Zelda whistled for their horses. After a few long heartbeats, both could finally hear the heavy sound of hooves hitting the ground right before their horses finally came into view. As they approached, it seemed that even their horses knew something terrible was happening. They were extremely skittish when they attempted to mount them, and Link even got a swift kick to his side. If their situation hadn’t been so serious, Zelda would have laughed.

After they had soothed their horses to where they were actually rideable, they finally took off. The rest of the team would probably wonder what had taken them so long, but that was a problem they’d have to deal with later. For now, Zelda was more worried about the ever growing purple clouds above their head and the air that crackled with electricity before exploding into vibrant lightning. Zelda glanced worriedly over at Link who addressed their formidable path with determination. The metal sword on his back made him the perfect candidate for getting struck by the lightning. Besides, even if both of them made it to the castle only partially fired, did Link really think he could beat Calamity Ganon?

A strike of lightning zapped the path in front of them, causing Zelda’s horse to rear up on its hind legs. Zelda clung on for dear life and tried to soothe the animal, but it was no use. Even as it lowered itself back onto all four legs, it bolted from the path and into the woods surrounding them. Low hanging tree branches whipped at her face and arms as her horse continued to plummet into the forestry, and she couldn’t keep the wry smile off of her face.

How befitting was it that she’d die from crashing into a tree and not at the hands of Ganon? 

However, her dry humor soon turned to fright once more as a tree beside her erupted into fire. She quickly whipped her around to see who or what could be attacking her and was faced with the glowing blue eye of a Guardian. She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion as its red laser centered on her. The Guardians were supposed to assist them in battle, not attack them. She didn’t dwell on that fact too long though as she felt he laser grow hotter against her. In terror, she threw herself off of her horse. Zelda landed hard against her shoulder and couldn't keep herself from tumbling along the ground until her backside hit a tree. She blinked her eyes slowly open, trying not to focus on the pain blossoming throughout her body but rather on where her horse had gone. 

Her tired eyes couldn’t locate it at first but soon heard the scream of an animal in pain and turned her gaze towards the horrid sound just in time to see the Guardian strike it down and blood splatter on the nearby trees. A small, terrified whimper left her lips. That small sound seemed to be just loud enough to alert the Guardian she was still there. As it focused on her again, she found that she couldn’t do anything. Her mind was screaming at her to run, but her body was scared stiff. It was as if her blood had been replaced with molten lead, and all she could think was: 

Why have the Guardians turned against us?

The sound of glass shattering was what broke her out of her trance. She glanced up to see Link flying off of his horse with bow drawn. He had managed to take out the Guardian that had been attacking her and two other smaller ones before his feet hit the ground. Her mouth was agape in amazement, and, not for the first time, did she feel a little jealous over Link’s capabilities. 

Zelda shakily got up onto her feet, wincing at the bruising that had no doubt started covering her body. She walked over to Link as he tried to soothe his frantic horse. However, the creature was too spooked to carry both of them, so he let the horse go. They both watched for a moment as it ran back into the direction they had come from, away from Calamity Ganon. Zelda was the first to break the tense silence.

“The Guardian… Why did it attack us?” She questioned. She looked at Link hopefully as if he might have the answer to her questions, as if he somehow knew how to save her kingdom since she couldn't. But, Link was just a mute boy who had been thrust into the role of knight and hero. Even if Link had an answer he wanted to sign, Ghirahim was the only one that knew the language. The demon had advised her and the other champions they should learn sign language, but they had all been so busy… 

Link grabbed her hand to get her attention and pointedly glanced to the direction in front of them. It took Zelda a few minutes to get the message, and even Link grew frustrated with her ignorance. Finally, she asked. “Oh, are we going to run through the woods instead of going back out to the path?” Link nodded, and Zelda promised to herself that if they made it out of this alive, she was going to learn sign language, so Link could use it with her.

They started out with a light jog, throwing glances over their shoulders every few seconds to look out for enemies. It wasn’t long before they ran into another Guardian. Except, this time, it seemed to be deactivated. “Do you think one of the Champions killed it?” Zelda asked as they warily approached it.

Link shook his head ‘no.’ Before Zelda could ask why, purple smoke seemed to ooze out of the creature before its lights slowly blinked on. She let out an appalled gasp, but before it could fully come to life, Link had already killed it with another arrow. As the Guardian wheezed its last dying breath though, violet liquid seemed to seep out of its crevices, and a terrible thought hit Zelda. “You don’t think Ganon was able to gain control of the Guardians, do you?”

Link gave her a sad look and shrugged his shoulders. They couldn’t know for sure that Ganon had taken control of them, but neither of them doubted that Ganon hadn’t possessed them. Why else would the Guardians be attacking them? “Oh Goddesses, what about the Divine beasts then?”

Link shook his head again, trying to dismiss her idea as silly and frivolous, but Zelda saw him grow worried. If even the Divine Beasts turned against them, this war was as good as over before it had even started. Neither of them wanted to think that after all the work they had put into this, it would just end so quickly for them.

\---  
Thunder had ripped across the sky bringing more lightning and rain with it. Every few seconds, a bush or tree would burst into flames by them. It was honestly a miracle neither of them had gotten struck. However, they had run into a few more Guardians and even a camp of Bokoblins at one point. Link had amazing combat skills, but even he had suffered a few minor wounds now. Needless to say, their pace had considerably slowed and both of them had slipped on the muddy ground at least twice. Zelda had never quite realized how far away Hyrule Castle actually was when you weren’t going on horseback. 

Suddenly, a shrill shriek pierced the sky above them, making both of them wince. Zelda was the first to look upwards, and she felt all the blood drain out of her body. She could only watch in frozen horror as Vah Medoh rocketed downwards, purple smoke leaving a trail behind the Divine Beast. Even after it has passed the treeline and she could see it no longer, she continued to look at the sky stupefied.

Revali… 

Her knees hit the ground, splashing even more mud onto her. Link quickly kneeled beside her. She could tell that he, too, was shaken, but she also knew that courage still burned in every fiber of his being. He was still ready to face Calamity Ganon. Zelda wasn’t that strong though. She wanted to hit the ground with her fists and curse Ganon, but she didn’t want to fight it anymore. If the Guardians and Divine Beasts had both turned against them, going to Hyrule Castle would be a suicide mission. She didn't even have her power to fight with. Ghirahim was right; she should’ve fled somewhere safe. As Link placed a hand on her shoulder, she felt her tears start to slowly trickle down her face.

“How… How did it come to this?” She gasped as she picked herself up. “The Divine Beasts… The Guardians… They’ve all turned against us.” Link could barely hear her whispers over the predatory growl over the storm, but he intently listened nonetheless.

“It was Calamity Ganon. It turned them all against us!” She shouted, her voice growing angry for a second. No one had ever planned for this turn of events. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this “And everyone-Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, Daruk, and Ghirahim, they’re all trapped inside those things.”

“And it’s all my fault! Our only hope for defeating Ganon is lost because I couldn't harness this cursed power! Everything-everything I’ve done up until now… It was all for nothing. So, I really am just a failure!” Zelda didn’t know how to feel anymore. Mad or sad? She was mad at herself for letting this happen, being so utterly powerless, but she was also terribly sad. Her mind was already mourning the deaths of all her friends. Tears started to spill down her face, and she couldn’t bare to even look at Link. “All my friends, the entire kingdom, my father most of all… I tried, and I failed them all. I’ve left them all to die!” She suddenly buried her face into Link’s chest as she finally let herself cry. She felt Link wrap his arms around her as she sobbed, but none of his kind gestures could provide her with solace. Everyone was dead, and it was all her fault. 

Link was going to let her cry, get it all out before they had to move on, but there was still the problem of Guardians and other monsters. He felt the laser on his back as it grew hot, but he noticed it just a little too late. He had barely just enough time to throw Zelda out of the way and hold up his shield.

He grunted as his shield cracked under the impact. The splinters shot back towards him digging into his skin, but that’s not what worried him. The Guardian had already retargeted him and was preparing its next shot. He tried to leap out of the way, but those creatures were too fast. His mouth fell open in a silent scream as the impact of just half the shot effectively hitting him sent him flying to the ground. He couldn’t worry about the pain though. The hero jumped to his feet, barely managing to pat out the flames in his tunic, and grabbed Zelda. Together, they ran. They did manage to get out off the range of the other Guardian, but as the adrenaline wore off, Link could go no further.

Zelda kept glancing at the Hero worriedly as they now limped their way towards Hyrule Castle. She couldn’t wrap her head around why they were still going towards the castle. Link could barely manage to keep himself on two feet now, much less fight Calamity Ganon, and she couldn't even try and seal the monster away. Her worry grew as Link wiped at a cut on his face that just wouldn't stop bleeding. Her eyes trailed lower to one of the hero’s legs. Chunks of his pants had been signed into oblivion, and the skin beneath was matted with blood and blisters. It was scary to realize how much damage just one Guardian could do, and Zelda was about to advise they turn around, but her voice left her once again as they both saw it.

It wasn’t just a Guardian. It was fucking massive, and it was heading straight for them.

Link grunted as his knee chose to buckle beneath him as he moved in front of Zelda, but pushed himself back up. 

“Link, save yourself! Go! I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me!” Zelda suddenly yelled, shaking the hero’s shoulder slightly. He had to go and save himself. She had lost everyone else in less than an hour, and she couldn't lose him too. However, Link wouldn’t budge. It was his job to protect Zelda until his own inevitable death. “Run!” The girl pleaded one last time, but her words fell on deaf ears. Her eyes widened as Link struggled to raise his own sword as the Guardian focused in on Link.

No, no, no!

“No!” She finally screamed, throwing herself in front of Link. She felt energy coursing through her body. It was too much for her body to contain as she through her hand up towards the Guardian and let out a scream of pure rage. Golden light erupted from her fingers as the triforce burned the back of her hand. Her whole body started to shake as she kept on going, letting her newfound magic wash over the nearby radius and destroy anything dark. Her shaking grew more violent,, and she gasped out loud as her hand fell back down to her side as the Guardian in front of the collapsed, now lifeless. Almost as if she didn't believe what had just happened, she held her hand back up for a second. 

Zelda turned around, wanting to know if Link could make sense of what just happened, and her eyes fell on his motionless body on the ground. A whimper left her as she immediately rushed over to him, falling to her knees beside him. Frantically, she started shaking his body.“Link get up! You’re going to be just fine! You have to be fine!”

The hero finally managed to crack his eyes open, and Zelda sighed in relief. However, his body was immediately wracked by a coughing fit, and he could barely keep his eyes open. She waited by his side, holding her breath. Had her power been too much? Had she actually been the one to kill him? As the coughs calmed down, he glanced over at Zelda as if to assure her everything was fine, but he couldn’t make his body work, and his eyes slowly closed again as he slipped back into unconsciousness. 

Zelda cradled his head in her lap and watched as her tears splashed onto him. This couldn’t be happening. He had to live! He was the chosen hero! 

Resurrection… Shrine…

The words echoed in her head, and she looked around worriedly. Finally, though, her eyes caught the glowing pulse from Link’s sword.This time when the words repeated, she also noticed the melodic chiming alongside them.

Resurrection… Shrine… 

“The sword…? So he can… he can still be saved?” She felt rather silly voicing the question aloud when no one was listening. What had she been expecting? It wasn’t as if a spirit was going to pop out of the Master Sword.

“Princess!” Zelda snapped her head to the right, searching for the source of the familiar voice. She choked back another sob as he came into view.

“Ghirahim!” She fondly exclaimed as he approached them. “You’re alright! Does that mean all the other Champions are fine too? Do we still have the Divine Beasts?” For one second, hope flickered in Zelda. However, the look on Ghirahim’s face almost instantly squashed it.

He slowly kneeled beside her and solemnly shook his head. “I’m sorry but no, Zelda.” After a second, he added, “Are you alright though? What happened to Link?”

As Ghirahim realized the boy wasn’t breathing, a pain spread throughout his chest. “Is he dead?”

However, Zelda didn’t answer him. She only regarded him with suspicious eyes. It didn’t make sense that he was alive, but the other Champions weren’t. Wouldn’t the Divine Beasts kill all of the Champions?

“What did you do?” She finally gasped out. Ghirahim didn’t answer this time. 

“I didn’t do anything,” he defended halfheartedly. “I didn’t mean to do anything.”

“Ghirahim, please prove to me that Revali wasn’t right about you and answer me,” she choked out. “What did you do?”

Ghirahim kept looking at Link’s pale face. He didn’t want to face the girl beside him. He tried telling himself that none of this was his fault, but he knew better. None of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for him. “Ghirahim, please,” Zelda pleaded to him.

The demon finally looked at her with tears spilling down his face. “I… I killed them.”


	2. Wake Up, Link

_Open your eyes..._

The blond didn't open his eyes as the voice rather rudely intruded in his sleep. Instead, he crinkled his nose, and tried to settle back down into the remnants of his slumber. However, his mind was awake now, racing with new thoughts. He let out an unsatisfied groan as he tried to grasp onto the threads of his quickly fading dream. He felt like it had been something important, something he should remember even in the waking world.

_Open your eyes_.

The voice spoke a bit more forcefully in his head now. He squinted his eyes shut tightly, watching as fireworks danced in the blackness of his vision. The boy thought about denying the voice again but was slightly afraid of what would happen if he did. So finally, he dared to peek his own eyes open. His vision seemed to swirl in front of him. It was as if his eyes had forgotten how to work over the years they had been shut tight.

_Wake up, Link._

The foreign name bounced around in his head for a few moments before he decided it must be his. It was rather silly of someone to forget their own name, but as he struggled to think or remember anything about himself, he couldn't. His head turned to the side, staring at a warped version of himself in the glossy surface of the tub that he laid in. Wide, blue eyes and pale, parted lips stared back at him.

_Link, get_ _ up _ _._

The boy decided he did not like this voice as he slowly sat up. He stretched, hearing his bones pop and crackle. It felt good to move, and he let out a content sigh. It was then, as he merely sat waiting for the annoying voice to give his more instructions, that he realized he was nude. A light blush covered his face as he suddenly felt too exposed, even in the eyeless shadows of the shrine. The blond quickly stumbled up to his feet as he gave himself his own mission. He needed clothes.

_That is a Sheikah Slate... Link, where are you going?_

He passed the pedestal, ignoring the voice for the time being.Two chests had caught his eye, piquing his curiosity. As if he had forgotten how to properly open a chest over the years he slept, he decided to foolishly kick the first one open. The lid did crack open, but the boy now hopped around on one foot, cradling the one he had kicked with. The chosen hero could be remarkably stupid at times.

As the profanities he mentally screamed calmed down, he took a look inside the chest. Much to his chagrin, this one seemed to contain a poorly tailored pair of trousers with equally ill crafted boots. He wasted no time donning the new accessories, feeling much better about being covered.

The second chest stared defiantly at him, begging him to kick it. Even with his new boots on, Link refused to risk the chance of stubbing his toe again. This time, he opened the chest like a normal human being. Inside, was a hole ridden shirt to match the rest of his outfit. Only after finally completing his outfit, did he go back towards the glowing pedestal.

_That is a Sheikah Slate. Take it. It will help guide you after your long slumber._

Link gazed at the device on top of the pedestal curiously. Something about it was familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Deciding he might anger the voice if he waited too much longer, he quickly grabbed it. His eyes searched around the room as he protectively held it in his hands, fearing it may have triggered some sort of trap. However, he relaxed after a few minutes of nothing happening.

Suddenly, a door slip open and Link dropped the Sheikah Slate in surprise. He stared dumbly at the new exitway before shamefully bending over and picking up the device. This time, he attached it to the belt in his pants to avoid dropping it in the future. He felt like it wouldn't be a wise idea to crack its screen.

_Link... You are the light-our light-that must shine upon Hyrule once again. Now, go..._

Ah, there was the voice again. Link wondered how long he was going to have to put up with it. Was this voice something inside of him? Could he silence it? Could he kill it? The blond shook his head at himself. Killing the voice sounded just about a good idea as cracking the Sheikah Slate. Still, he wondered if the voice came with a 'mute' button.

The hero squinted his eyes as he finally made his way out of the shrine and into the surrounding world. It took his eyes awhile to adjust to the sunlight, and everything looked like a heavily illuminated blur for a few minutes. When his vision finally cleared though, he found him humming to himself in appreciation. This world was truly beautiful.

His feet carried him to the edge of a cliff, and he was greeted with the rich green onslaught of the world beneath him. Vivid emerald tree tops covered tall grasses, and other plants of varying shades of green speckled the lands below him. If he strained his eyes just a little bit harder, he could also make out a giant volcano that appeared to be active and a castle shrouded in darkness. The latter sent a shiver down his spine.

Stepping away from the overlook, he deemed it best to explore since the voice had disappeared for the time being.

\---

Link was rather proud of himself. He had found quite a few mushrooms growing around the surrounding woods, and even got some meat after beating a Bokoblin down with its own club. He had finally returned to the dirt path he was sure he was supposed to travel down, only to be taunted by a tree growing along the path. Cherry red apples glinted from the top of the tree, and the tip of Link's tongue stuck out as he thought about his chances of reaching them. Frankly, he wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping for, and he didn't know if his strength would have weakened over his slumber.

Eventually, he decided to go for the apples.

He had shimmied up the tree with relative ease. It wasn't until he was at the top, arms stretching outwards to pick an apple, that _it_ happened. His hand finally hooked around the fruit, and he was about to let out a victory shout when he noticed that there was a spider on the apple. Out of instinct, he used his other hand to smack the creature off. However, his legs weren't strong enough to hold all of his body weight up on the tree.

The hero tumbled down the tree, but his adventure didn't stop there. The momentum of his fall kept him rolling down the dirt path. Link cradled the apple to his chest and prayed that the rock that stopped his descent wouldn't shatter all the bones in his body. However, instead of a rock, a pair of legs was what finally stopped his tumbling adventure.

"Do you need some help, boy?" A deep, gravelly voice boomed from overhead. Link timidly opened his eyes, still clutching his apple for dear life, and nodded. A calloused hand helped pull him to his feet.

After he was back on his feet, albeit a little wobbly, he could get a better look at the older man who helped him up. His skin was wrinkled and rather tan, perhaps from spending all of his days outside. A tangled graying beard dominated his appearance, hanging just past his chest. However, what Link took of note most was his eyes. The man seemed friendly and chipper on the outside, but his eyes were flat, devoid of any emotion.

" _Who are you?_ " Link signed, dropping the apple. It'd no doubt be bruised from hitting  
the ground now, just his luck.

"Who are you?" The man asked, giving him a strange look. It took Link a few moments to realize that the man wasn't being rude and not answering him; he just didn't know sign language and probably thought Link was just waving his hands around like an idiot. The blond felt his annoyance grow, knowing this was going to be a complicated exchange if he attempted to communicate with the man. After a moment of contemplation, he found that he didn't want to try and have this exchange. It would just be frustrating for the both of them. Link finally shrugged his shoulders and walked past the man, sure he would somehow find the way to wherever he needed to go without the man's words of wisdom. The man hollered after him a few times, but he kept going forward, not in the mood to play charades.

_That was rude._

Link huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He was getting tired of the voice inside his head. It was rude to be culturally ignorant and not know his language. The man was in the wrong, not him.

_Link, just please, head to the spot marked on your Sheikah Slate._

The voice seemed to be exasperated but disappeared after those instructions, and Link let out a sigh of relief. Nonetheless, he pulled out the Sheikah Slate to see what the voice was talking about. Sure enough, he could now access a screen that showed him where he was and had an orange dot hovering over where he supposed he was supposed to go. His face fell, and he inwardly groaned as he realized he had a long hike ahead of him.

\---

Apparently, his destination just ended up being a lone pedestal demanding that he put the Sheikah Slate in it. It was so small and insignificant that the hero has passed by it numerous times, only for the voice to finally break and yell at him to go back. Now, Link looked at it warily, sure that the voice that brought him here was just messing with him at this point. However, seeing as how he didn't exactly have anything else to do, he hesitantly slid the Sheikah Slate into the slot. At first, nothing happened, and Link expected the voice to start laughing at him and calling him an idiot for actually believing the pedestal would do something. Right as he was about to snatch the Sheikah Slate back though, the ground started to violently shake, and Link jumped onto the pedestal, hugging it for dear life. As if life couldn't get any worse for him at the moment, the platform he was on then shot through the air at an alarming rate. Link screwed his eyes shut and tried not to panic as every fiber of his being cursed that stupid voice.

The platform suddenly jerked to a complete halt, and Link was thrown to floor beneath him. He winced as his back hit the platform hard, bruises most likely already forming. He laid there for awhile, refusing to open his eyes. He didn't think he could handle anymore surprises for the time being.

_Remember... Try... Try to remember. You have been asleep for the past 100 years. The beast... When the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end. Now then, you must hurry, Link. Before it's too late..._

Link's eyes snapped open as the voice began talking, and he turned his head to the side, attention immediately drawing to the ominous castle he had spotted earlier. For once, since he had woken up, he felt the carelessness drain from his body and a sense of dreaded duty replace it. His mouth fell open as the side of his face was squished further onto the floor. Why was the voice telling him this? Was he supposed to somehow fix this?

He suddenly closed his eyes as the sound of a girl's wailing and a man's sorrowful voice echoed around in his mind. He tried to claw his way through his mind, tried to remember who those voices belonged to, but his memory was still too hazy. He once again turned to face the castle, fear creeping through his veins.

_Link, you must locate Ghirahim... It's the only chance left for Hyrule._


	3. Sadistic Maniac

After the voice had vanished, leaving Link thoroughly unsettled, a new marker appeared on his Sheikah Slate. This one was in the shape of a simple diamond. Link stared at it for a few seconds, mesmerised as he watched it pulse. However, an over exaggerated cough in his head told him that he needed to start moving. Link rolled his eyes as he began climbing down from the Great Tower. Did he really need to be in _that_ much of a hurry?

\---

His trip to the diamond shaped mark on his map had been drearily uneventful. Maybe he should have been thankful that he only came across two bokoblins on his trip, but the hero was becoming awfully bored. Every fiber of his being itched, wanting to do something more than walk to destinations that a mystical voice instructed him about. How did he know that he could even trust this voice?

 _Link,_ _focus_.

The blond held his hands up in a gesture of peace, but immediately felt rather silly afterwards. Could the voice even see him? He shook his head, hoping to whatever God existed that the voice wasn't watching him every single moment. He'd sue for privacy invasion.

After Link got done pondering over the voice and it's origins, he finally looked up to the structure that loomed in front of him. It appeared as if it was made of stone with glowing orange ruins decorating the whole structure. An ornate door stood proudly in the center while a pedestal stood beside it. Link recognized the pedestal from the one he had seen on the Great Plateau Tower and approached it cautiously. He wasn't in the mood to be skyrocketed hundred of feet into the air again. However, something about the building seemed oddly calming to Link. He tried to grasp onto remnants of a memory that flickered in his mind, but he just couldn't put a finger on _why_ this place seemed so familiar.

Finally, only slightly nervous and tense from his previous experience with the pedestals, he slid the Sheikah Slate into the pedestal. Almost immediately, the structures ruins turned a bright blue as the massive doors slid open. Link let out a breath, relieved that this platform hadn't shot up. He slowly made his way into the dimly lit building, squinting to see. However, as he entered the structure, he quirked an eyebrow up in confusion. There was only one room, and it was rather small at that. The only surroundings in the room were the gray wall as and floor beneath him. There wasn't even a chair for him to sit in or a pot to smash. What was he supposed to do in there?

Suddenly, the ground below his feet fell into oblivion.

Link screamed as he entered a state of free fall before violently hitting his rear end on the ground below him. He let out a groan of discomfort at the sudden pain that spiked up his back from the impact. Why couldn't platforms stay still? Did the architect never hear about stairs? Only when a voice echoed around the new room he was in, did the hero stop grumbling about his foul luck.

"To you who sets foot in this shrine... I am Ghirahim. In the name of Goddess Hylia, I offer you this trial." Link was entranced by the voice. Instead of the high pitched feminine one in his head, this one was warm and charismatic. Something tugged painfully inside of him as he continued to listen, but he still couldn't firmly grasp onto the memory. All he could make out was a dangerous flash of chocolate eyes and a confident ivory smirk. "Also, good luck; you'll need it," the voice laughed, lacking any of the sympathy it originally had.

As the voice disappeared for good this time, Link finally looked around him. Everything was bathed in blue light, creating a calming aura in the shrine. The room, however, was long, terribly long. There was only one path in front of him, and it stretched out further than he could see. He stared at the path in front of him, trying to make out the end. He probably looked rather silly there, sitting on his bum and squinting so hard that one couldn't really see his eyes.

The light around Link suddenly darkened into a purple, and the hero looked around confused. Finally, his eyes saw a red laser. It seemed to be coming from a random point in the wall and it landed on his shoulder. He kept staring curiously at it until the thing zapped him.

Link howled in pain as his sleeve was singed away, and the skin beneath began to blister. He bit his lip as the burning sensation continued, spreading down his arm. Blood oozed from his arm as more blisters formed, but Link had no time to dwell on the health of his arm. His ears twitched as a series of clicking sounds resonated throughout the room, and lasers from every direction pointed at him.

The blond immediately went into survival mode and threw himself up onto his feet. He sprinted forwards, feeling the adrenaline course through his veins. However, he was nowhere nearly as fast as the lasers that zoned in on his back. By the time he reached to door at the end of the room, his back was pouring blood with blisters sprouting up everywhere. His hands desperately clawed at the door knob, but it wouldn't budge.

_Fuckity fuck fuck..._

Link sprinted back from the way he came, desperately looking around for a key. It wasn't until his arm had been fried again that a glint of silver on the floor caught his eye. He immediately dove and grabbed it before running back to the door.

His hands shook violently as he forced the key into the lock. He chanced a glance backwards as he heard the 'click' of the door unlocking. Twenty lasers pointed back at him. Link narrowed his eyes and threw up the middle finger before diving behind the door and quickly locking it back. The door gave a thump as the lasers hit it, but Link was already safe on the other side.

Link stumbled forwards from the door, the pain from all of his wounds now hitting him at full force. His shirt was barely on his body now, threads and dried up blood the only thing still holding it. Even his pants for the most part were tattered, showing ugly red skin beneath them. Did this 'Ghirahim' have a death wish against him?

Speaking of Ghirahim, Link winced as he hobbled to the center of the room where a very short staircase (really, it wasn't even as tall as half his height) led to a platform where someone sat cross legged behind what appeared to be a case of glass. The hero could only assume this was the person the voice advised he sought out. Link glared at him.

What a sick bastard...

As he struggled to climb up the steps, he took note of the male's appearance. He had white hair that tumbled down to his chest, a portion of it hiding half of his face. His eyes were closed, and his expression was slack as if he was sleeping, but he still had dark circles under his eyes that prominently stood out from his light gray skin.

Wait, light gray skin?

Link closed his eyes tightly and reopened them to make sure he wasn't seeing things. As his vision cleared, he still saw the same color. He was used to seeing monsters of varying species already, but the male in front of him looked human enough except for his color scheme. He only wore a bright blue sash around his hips and an equally bright blue earring that dangled from the ear his hair wasn't covering, so the hero could definitely tell that most of his anatomy was the same as a human's.

Link looked at the resting male a bit longer before his wounds painfully reminded him of his objective. He raised a hand hesitantly to the glass and tapped on it gently. Immediately, crashes filled the silence and shards of glass went flying everywhere as the case shattered. Link ducked, waiting for the havoc to settle down before he stood up again and looked at the male.

He was still sleeping.

Link looked at the other male exasperatedly before he suddenly fell down the stairs in surprise as the man's eyes flung open, and he started coughing. The blond stayed on the floor, in too much pain to get up and introduce himself. He merely listened as the other's coughs died down and as the other gently descended down the stairs. Out of the corner of his eye, he could faintly see the male suddenly stop beside him as he saw him.

"How are you not dead?" The velvety voice asked, sending Link's mind back into a frenzy as he could physically feel a memory just out of his grasp. The man kneeled down beside him, and the hero had never been more grateful for the sash around the other's hips. "Not dead but close,"the other mused. A hand suddenly viciously grabbed his hair, snapping his head upwards, so he was forced to directly look at the male. He winced in pain.

"I could kill you right now. I could become the traitor that all of them thought I was," he whispered through gritted teeth. His grip on Link's hair tightened, and the hero whined out of discomfort at the words and the pain. The other suddenly let go of Link, and his face slammed into the floor beneath him. "But I hate to think that Revali would still have been right after all this time," he whispered, more to himself than the hero.

A hand on Link's back made the boy hiss, but his back seemed to start hurting less and less. The blond turned a head to the male, watching him as he placed a hand on his arm and healed it. However, the more the other healed him, the shakier the other became. After most of his skin was back to normal and not bleeding, the other looked ready to keel over. "I'm Ghirahim by the way, but you probably already knew that. And don't bother wasting my time introducing yourself, I'm already familiar with you, Link," he stated curtly before standing back up. The blond quickly averted his gaze. The man really needed to wear some pants.

Link stood up a bit wobbly as Ghirahim stared at him. The look in the other's eyes wasn't exactly hostile, but it wasn't friendly either. The hero had so many questions on the tip of his tongue, but he chose to ask the one that everyone had neglected to answer so far. " _What is going on?_ " He signed. The question caused Ghirahim to sigh unhappy and hug his arms over his chest.

"Why am I not surprised that no one's bothered to tell you anything?" Ghirahim huffed. Link gaped in surprise for a moment, not really have expecting the other to be familiar with sign language. "The Calamity is what's going on. More precisely, the Calamity that you need to prevent," he said, causing even more questions to well up inside of Link. "Here, let's started from the beginning..."

\---

_To know Calamity Ganon's true form, one must know the story from an age long past._

_The demon king was born into this kingdom, but his transformation into Malice created the horror you see now. Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also... a prophecy._

_"The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear, and the power to oppose it lies dormant underground."_

_They decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land. It wasn't long before they discovered several ancient relics made by the hands of their distant ancestors. These relics, the Divine Beasts, were giant machines piloted by warriors. They also found the Gaurdians, an army of mechanical soldiers who fought autonomously. This coincided with ancient legends, oft repeated throughout their land. They also learned of a princess with a sacred power and her appointed knight, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. It was they who sealed Ganon away using the power of these ancient relics._

_One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side. It was clear that they must follow their ancient ancestors' path._

_They selected four skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts. With the princess as their commander, they dubbed these pilots Champions- a name that would solidify their unique bond._

_The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest of the Champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon..._

_But nay..._

_Ganon was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond their imagining. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, and turned them against them._

_The Champions lost their lives, those residing in the castle as well. The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess... And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon._

_However... The princess survived to face Ganon alone._

\---

"Of course, parts of that tale have become false over time, but most of it's true," Ghirahim mused out loud before casting a glance at Link. "And you'd be the collapsed knight from the story."

It was a lot to take in, but after Link did, he still had one question. " _How does that involve you?_ " Ghirahim chuckled dryly at that.

"That's a story for another time. For now, let's just say I'm your secret aid, assigned to you by the princess," he said. Link wanted to press further, but from the tone of the other's voice he thought it best to leave it alone for the time being. "Plus, you'll eventually remember. I don't know how long it'll take, but your memories will eventually return to you."

Link was glad to hear that. It was rather disconcerting to not know anything about his past. He stood there in silence as he tried to process what journey may lay ahead of him. "I'm surprised you're taking everything so well. If I woke up with all of my memories erased and a legend to fulfill, I'd have a lot more questions," Ghirahim stated, crossing his arms over his chest. Link thought for a moment.

He guess he did have one question nagging at him still.

" _When will you get a pair of pants?_ " Ghirahim jutted a hip out to the side, now glaring at the hero. Link was taken aback by the intensity of the sudden hatred.

"You're nothing like the original Link," Ghirahim finally muttered out, averting his gaze from the blond. "I wouldn't be so quick to judge someone else's appearance right now, when your hair is so long and matted at that. Those 100 years did no good for your body. Now come on, let's go," he rebuffed, walking away from Link. The blond self consciously brought up a hand to his hair, and his eyes widened. He hadn't realized it had grown past his shoulders.

" _Where are we going_?" Ghirahim wouldn't even look at him now as he answered.

"You need to see Impa. I'll walk you to the village she resides in, but I won't go with you any further than that. I don't owe your Goddess anything, and your life or death has no consequence to me," Ghirahim spat out. Link thought about asking another question but eventually decided against it. However, constant worries nagged at him.

How would he know where to go if Ghirahim didn't travel with him? Was there actually a good chance of him dying? If that _thing_ at the castle was what he needed to beat, how would he be able to even strike a wound upon it?

Link shook his head, quieting his worries. He guessed he could always ask this 'Impa' person if Ghirahim refused to help him. Yet, a bad feeling still came over him.

If Ghirahim was supposed to help him on this journey, why would he outright reject the idea? More importantly, why was he so angry at him?

As he glanced up at Ghirahim again, the fuzziness in his mind suddenly disappeared. The pieces of the memory he had grabbed onto suddenly all clicked together. His feet stopped walking on their own, and he could faintly hear Ghirahim fussing at him. The last thing he remembered before he lost consciousness was a pair of hands catching him as his legs suddenly failed him.

_Link, some things are better to be hidden and kept secret. Some things just aren't meant to be remembered..._


	4. Bloody Nightmares

 He felt as if he was underwater. Everything in his vision was distorted and warped to the point where he could barely tell who was who. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, but his eyes stung, and he couldn't move any other part of his body. His heart leaped out of his chest in panic as he tried to remember what happened to him, and why he couldn't interact with the world around him.

    "Come back Link," a gentle voice hummed to him. "You are not ready for this memory yet." Still, his soul still lingered in that abyss for awhile longer. A haunting wail broke the silence and the stench of blood suddenly permeated the air. Hands he couldn't see gripped his arms and invisible lips latched onto his. He panicked as the taste of blood filled his senses. However, much to his relief, light suddenly streamed into his vision.

     "Hylia, Link, what was all of that about?" Link felt nauseated as Ghirahim's face came into view. He rubbed his own face with a hand, but immediately retracted it, surprised by how cold and clammy it was.

 _"I don't know_ ," he signed. His stomach twisted as he remembered the sticky feeling of someone forcing blood into his mouth. Had that been an actual memory of his, or had he been assaulted by some creature that lurked between reality and the imaginary? More importantly, did he really want to know the answer? His train of thought was broken as Ghirahim offered a hand and hauled him back up to his feet.

    "Well, please try to not randomly collapse anymore on our way to the Kakariko Village," the demon deadpanned, his worry for Link almost instantly vanishing. The hero scowled at him as he whipped around, his hair fanning out before falling back against the small of his back as he sauntered away. The blond's eyes glanced down to the azure sash on the other's hips, watching the fabric shift upwards on the back of his thighs as he walked, before quickly redirecting his gaze upwards as Ghirahim turned to face him. "Are you coming or not?"

\---

Link suppressed a laugh as Ghirahim failed to tie his obnoxiously long hair into a bun for the upteenth time. Ivory strands were sticking all over the place as a sad excuse of a bun sagged on the back of his head. Growing frustrated with his failure at manual labor, Ghirahim snapped his fingers, and replaced the 'bun' with a smooth ponytail instead. Link, however, furrowed his brows in confusion. " _Wait, how did you do that?"_

"Magic," Ghirahim popped the word out, as if it was no big deal. The blond's eyes lit up in awe though.

" _Do something else_!" Ghirahim snickered as a rueful grin teased at his lips.

"Glad to see you're still ignorant as ever," he joked coldy. Link glared at the remark. "Magic takes energy from me. If I use it too much, I won't be able to drop you off at Impa's today."

    " _So you're seriously going to leave me after I meet Impa_?" It took Ghirahim a moment to answer.

    "It's kind of painful to travel with you right now," Ghirahim admitted. Link waited, expecting for the other to explain, but nothing else was said.

    " _Why_?" Ghirahim shook his head.

    "You've been asleep for 100 years and have forgotten everything at the moment. You don't know who Zelda is or even who I am. And believe it or not, we used to be close. It's just going to be fucking terrible to watch you remember who I am and then realize what I did all over again." The last part Ghirahim said more to himself than Link, but that didn't stop the Hylian from growing curious over the statement. He chose to keep quiet for the time being though, sure that Ghirahim would just brush it off.

"However," Ghirahim began, "there is something else equally terrible that needs to be dealt with immediately." Link glanced at him expectantly. "Your hair." Link looked appalled, self consciously grabbing the ends of his hair. He hadn't had a good look at himself, but his hair didn't seem that bad. It was an unremarkable dirty blond, and it hit just above his chest. "Don't look at me like that! It's greasy and matted from 100 years of you not taking care of it. Not to mention, it's too long for a hero. You're just inviting an enemy to grab a fistful of it and throw you down! Impa can't see you like that," He seethed.

 _"You leave my hair alone_!" He held up his fists in a defensive stance, not wanting the other to shave him bald. A mischievous glint sparked in the demon's eyes, and Link gulped.

"Is that a challenge, Link?" Before the male could even answer, Ghirahim had already rushed at him, and slung the blond over his shoulder. Link blinked twice, trying to get reoriented. Ghirahim was fast. "You have a lot to learn before you go to Hyrule Castle," the taller male mused out loud.

Link huffed indignantly and crossed his arms over his chest as Ghirahim carried him. He didn't care for being treated like such a child. However, he certainly didn't mind the view. His eyes ran down Ghirahim's back before stopping at the sash. He let out a huff of annoyance. He knew he joked about Ghirahim putting on some pants earlier but now...

All of the sudden, his body was submerged under cold water. His nose and eyes stung as he resurfaced, and Ghirahim had the audacity to be laughing at him. " _What in the actual fuck, Ghirahim."_

"Listen, I was being serious, I seriously need to wash and cut your hair,"Ghirahim explained as he tried to calm his laughter. Link watched him warily as he waded into the river. "Stop looking at me like I have three heads and get over here! We don't have all day, y'know," the demon snipped. The blond went ahead and gave up, not wanting to be dunked under again.

\---

    "That's so much better," Ghirahim said aloud, admiring his handiwork. He had managed to get Link's hair fairly clean and untangled. He had also cut it shorter before tying it into a small ponytail. Link, however, had remained grumpy through the entire ordeal.

    " _Yeah, but my clothes are still soaked, and we started travelling again at least an hour ago_!" Link pouted, refusing to look at the other.

    "Oh, hush. Ill buy you some new clothes in Kakariko Village. Those ratty old things don't do you any justice," Ghirahim consoled, throwing an arm over the blond's shoulders. "And cheer up, you'll be rid of me soon anyways."

Link was still sour though. He didn't necessarily want his companion to leave him. Without Ghirahim, he'd be alone and enemies would be harder to deal with. Link didn't even have a proper weapon yet, just a surplus of boko clubs! But despite his growing apprehension, their destination kept growing closer and closer until Link could smell campfires and hear children squealing in delight. And as they rounded a corner, Link was greeted almost immediately by someone from the village.

"Welcome to Kakariko Village, travellers!" An elderly woman cheered. Almost immediately, Ghirahim looked uncomfortable. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, and looked like he was about to run for it at any moment. Link didn't have much time to pay attention to the other though before the woman was talking to him again. "Say traveller, where did you get that... object hanging from your waist?" Before Link could even answer, she energetically clapped her hands together. "Yes, I see! That's a Sheikah Slate, and that means you are the hero of legend. Though there are few who know of such legends anymore, but we Sheikah have been waiting for you for a very long time. Please, before all else, I must insist that you meet with our leader, Lady Impa," She explained.

" _Where is she_?" Link asked. However, from the confused expression on her face, it was obvious she didn't know sign language.

"He asked as to where Lady Impa is," Ghirahim cut in. The woman nodded, apologizing and explaining where she was, but Link wasn't really paying attention. Instead, he kept glancing at Ghirahim. For some reason Ghirahim translating for him had a sense of familiarity and comfortability he just couldn't shake. He made a mental note to ask the demon about it later. "Thank you, Link, let's go," he beckoned. Link stumbled after him, slightly caught off guard.

As they walked into the heart of the town, Link looked around in wonder. Cozy houses were scattered over terraced land, and people bustled all over even though night was beginning to fall. Link had to leap out of the way just a couple of times, so that kids playing tag didn't run into him. The duo didn't stop until a cute girl got Link's eye.

"New outfits! Lower prices!" She shouted, and Link looked pointedly at Ghirahim who rolled his eyes in return.

"Let's make this quick," Ghirahim begrudgingly agreed, causing Link to rush up the stairs of the shop happily.

The shop was snug and warm. One woman, probably in her late twenties, seemed to be the only one working behind the counter. She paid them no mind, except to offer a kind smile every now and then, as Ghirahim and Link looked at the two outfits for sale.

" _I want this one_." Ghirahim raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you sure? The other one's more practical," the demon said. Link shook his head. The outfit he picked was colorful and festive. The tunic was adorned with reds and greens while the hood was a dark blue. "Okay then," Ghirahim turned his attention to the woman, "we'll take this one."

While Ghirahim went to pay for it, Link went into the dressing room to put it on. He sighed in relief as he pulled off his ratty damp clothes and slipped into the new ones. After he was fully dressed, he glanced at his reflection in the dusty mirror before slipping back out into the main shop.

Ghirahim let out a low whistle. "Those old clothes really _weren't_ doing you justice." Link laughed hard at that as they exited the place.

" _Shut up_."

"Oh, do you like it better when I'm constantly insulting you then?" The demon teased. Link rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "See? I didn't think so."

They walked in a comfortable silence for the next few minutes until Lady Impa's house came into view. It sat high up, as if to look over the village, atop a large wooden staircase. Two guards stood proudly in front of the steps, swords crossed over their chests. They looked like they could snap Link in half by just looking at him.

"Well Link, this is where I leave you," Ghirahim reluctantly admitted. "I wish you luck on the rest of your adventure, and please don't die for Hylia's sake."

Link turned to look at the eccentric male, to ask him to stay, but he was already gone. The blond looked around for a few seconds, but couldn't find him. It was as if he had teleported away...

Taking a deep breath, Link slowly made his way to the guards.

 


	5. The Nailyh

Link was tense as he approached the guards. What if they stopped him? What if they tried to talk to him? The hero knew by now that most people didn't know his language, and he no longer had Ghirahim to translate for him. He grew even more anxious as the Guards seemed to shift forward as he slowly approached. However, one of them seemed to recognize something about him, and they both backed out of the way as he approached. Link could faintly hear them whispering about the Sheikah Slate as he made his ways up the stairs. Was the device really that important?

"A man!" As he finally got to the top of the stairs, a soft squeal startled him. A girl about his own age stood to the side of Lady Impa's household. Her face was buried in her hands, and her knees were visibly shaking. Link looked at her curiously. The girl seemed to calm down just a little bit, and spread her fingers, so she could peer at the hero. "Huh, is that," suddenly her timid voice grew louder as she threw her hands down, "a Sheikah Slate! Could you be the hero my grandmother told me about? What was his name? Lynel? No, um, Link!"

The girl seemed to be talking to herself more than Link, and the blond debated on making a getaway into the house. Before he could move though, the girl started speaking again. "Oh, my name is Paya if you were wondering!" Link smiled. Now that the girl wasn't behaving so nervous and erratically, the blond could get a better look at her. She was a bit taller than him with kind eyes and what seemed to be a permanent blush on her cheeks. However, he was most focused on the silver hair that tumbled just past her collar bones. He frowned slightly, trying to get the picture of Ghirahim out his head. The demon had made it pretty clear he wouldn't be coming back. Besides, Paya was pretty cute when she wasn't freaking out.

" _Paya's a pretty name."_ Link hadn't really expected her to understand him, seeing as no one else had, but the girl immediately covered her face with her hands again, and hopped from foot to foot in embarrassment.

"You should really go inside now! My grandma's been waiting for you!" Paya squealed before rushing down the staircase. Link smiled softly as he watched her race away. She was certainly a unique character, and he hoped he would see her again before his journey was over. Shaking his head, he returned his attention to the task at hand and finally entered the house.

Inside, he was greeted with a spacious room. The walls and tables were sparsely decorated while mats lined the floor, but the residence still managed to give off a homey vibe. However, his attention was immediately drawn to an older woman at the end of the room. She sat cross legged with her head bowed. Unsure of what to do, Link continued to stand in the doorway, afraid that if he just breathed in the wrong direction, the woman would turn to dust and blow away with the wind. Perhaps it was a fear that had come true in a past life.

"After 100 years, you have finally awakened Link. Tell me, how did you find me?" The woman, who he was presuming was Lady Impa,was cold, as she looked up at him. Her stoney eyes shifted warily over him, and he stood stiff. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but he had thought the woman would have been more friendly. "You don't have to speak boy. I already know that the demon is the one that brought you here, but I suppose that isn't your fault." Her expression became a little more warm, but Link was too curious over her statement to be thankful for the mood change.

" _Demon?"_ Impa regarded him curiously now.

"Yes, demon. Ghirahim is the one who brought you here, isn't he?" Link simply nodded in answer. He had known from the start that Ghirahim wasn't human, but the other failed to mention anything about having demonic roots. The new information just made his curiosity skyrocket about the other, filling his head with even more questions. "Anyways, whether I completely trust Zelda's plan or not, I trust you won't be corrupted by the dark, Link, so I am willing to give you the next part of your journey. However, I must ask a simple task of you first."

Impa looked hesitant to say the rest, and it unnerved Link a bit. "Throughout your travels, certain locations will cause you to regain memories of your life 100 years ago. I would like to give you a location where one of your memories is most likely at. If you come back, I will know you aren't one to succumb easily to dark powers. And if you don't, I will know you have either turned traitorous or have died. Now, if you would hand over your Sheikah Slate, I can mark where you need to travel to," she instructed. Link hesitantly passed the device over, growing nervous at the request. Where was he being sent to? It had to be somewhere terrible if she was talking about 'succumbing to darkness.' As if reading his mind, Impa began to speak again. "You are going to a clan that goes by 'Nailyh.' Let's just say that I hope you return to me safely." The Sheikah Slate was passed back to him, and Link quicky bid his goodbyes and all but ran out of the ominous household.

\---

Link had long ago arrived at the mark on his map. The point Impa had placed titled simply 'Nailyh Clan' had led him deep within a forest. There was a pond to his left and a fallen tree to his right, but no sign of anyone living, much less a full tribe. To make his situation worse, night had just fallen, making it harder to see. Link kicked the ground out of frustration as he began to feel lost and helpless, but immediately froze as his ears twitched. He whipped his gaze around now, and drew a boko club. Off into the distance, he could hear footsteps softly padding through dewy moss, but he failed to see the source of the noise. Another set of footsteps seemed to join in, crunching through leaves, and he suddenly became very afraid.

"What do we have here?" Link's eyes widened as he finally caught sight of a male leaning against a tree. Link couldn't tell much in the dark, but the guy seemed to be taller than him and more solidly built. The hero raised his club. At that, a howl of laughter sounded behind him, and Link turned behind him to see another male.

"It's been awhile since a Hylian stumbled this far into the woods. What were you looking for kid?" Link looked back and forth between the two, sure that his eyes were deceiving him. They both looked like the same person.

"Maybe he was looking for a _snack_ , Arlot?" Link was becoming confused now, trying to tell the two apart and who was speaking when. However, he was quick to catch onto the fact that both of them were now slowly walking towards him. He stood paralyzed in fear as he began to make out details he couldn't see before when they were farther away. Both of them had shaggy brown hair and equally blue eyes. They both wore an emerald veil on their faces that seemed to only cover their mouths, and they both to had elegant necklaces that draped down their bare chests and gauges that stretched out their ears. These accessories were adorned with teeth from varying creatures, and a cold sweat broke out over Link.

"Maybe, he'd like to join us for _dinner_ , Erlot?" They both laughed, but, rather abruptly, stopped. The sudden pause scared Link almost more than their onslaught. "Oh, fucking shit, we can't eat him. He's got the damn Sheikah Slate."

"Of fucking course, the first Hylian to stumble here in ages would be the Hero. Do you know how tired I am of Rito? I've had feathers stuck in my throat for _weeks_ ," one snarled.

"It still beats Zora. You know I hate seafood. I don't see why we can't just trap a Gerudo every now and then," the other complained.

"Don't be ridiculous, Arlot. Those girls would serve us our own asses on a golden platter!" As if he was an afterthought, they turned their attention back to Link.

"Hello Mister Hylian Champion, I'm Arlot, and this is my brother Erlot. We're part of the Nailyh Clan," Arlot took an exaggerated bow in front of Link before taking one of his hands and kissing the back of it through his veil. "It's a pleasure to gain your acquaintanceship." Link pulled his hand away, not feeling good about this clan or the brothers at all. Why were they talking about people like food?

"Arlot, stop kissing his ass," Erlot sighed, turning to Link. "He's just sucking up to you because he doesn't want you to tell our leader we terrorized and almost killed you. I'm just going to be frank with you instead. If you utter one bad word to her about us, I will rip out your throat with my teeth and bathe in your spilt blood. You understand?" Link frantically nodded his head as he tried to inch away.

"I'm not kissing his ass, thank you very much," Arlot snipped. "Need I remind you that your brother is very single and very gay? If no one's going to eat him, someone's definitely going to bite him before the night's over. We never get any _alive_ fresh meat in our village, especially one as hot as him."

"Please, for the love of all that is holy, keep it in your pants. At least until Nova meets him," the other brother groaned, walking away. Arlot turned to Link, a small, yet unapologetic, grin on his face.

"Sorry about this, but we have to take you into the village, and we try to keep the exact location a secret from outsiders." Link had no time to process the words or their meaning before Arlot had grabbed his head, and smashed his knee into one of the hero's temples. The hero barely had time to groan at the impact before his world exploded into darkness.

\---

When Link finally came to, he was greeted with a pounding headache and curious whispers from all directions. "That's a nasty bruise I gave you, I guess I could've gone a little easier on you," Arlot half apologized.

Link groaned as the headache continued to incessantly hit at his skull, ignoring the other's remark. He squeezed his eyes shut tight before opening them again as he tried to reorient himself. It was only then that he realized Arlot was carrying him bridal style. The blond gave an indignant yelp. "Listen, it's not like I want to carry you, but if you stray from us, you're as good as dead in here. Most people don't know about the Sheikah Slate, and would rip you to shreds, never even knowing you were the hero. I think it's in your best interest to just be quiet and not become someone's snack."

_They're fucking cannibals, aren't they?_

Link looked around warily at what he supposed was the Nailyh Village. The place wasn't gloomy like he pictured it to be, but more wild and exotic. It seemed everyone was rushing from one place to another. It also seemed that there wasn't a socially constructed dress code. From both genders, there were as many people without shirts as there were with. The only common occurrence in attire was a veil covering the mouth and earring and necklaces adorned with beastly teeth. The place was extremely vibrant and playful, and Link could almost convince himself nothing was wrong with the village. _Almost._

It was the couples holding hands in the streets that threw Link for a loop. The first couple he saw was a pair of girls, and no, there was nothing wrong with the fact that they were the same gender. But, the bite marks that had yet to completely heal along their arms and shoulders made Link tense up. He had overheard enough people talking about 'biting' their partner to finally realize just what they met. The bad feeling in the hero's stomach doubled, and he wanted to find the memory as fast as he could, so he could leave.

"Hey Nova, what are you doing out here?" Arlot called. Link looked ahead to see a girl approach. She stood out from the rest of the people who were tanned and had sun bleached hair. Black hair swung past her shoulders, contrasting with her pale skin. She looked to be a year or two younger than Link, and an elegant headpiece sat atop her head, baring three twisted teeth. Link wondered in morbid curiosity what creature they once belonged to.

"It's _Princess_ Nova to you, you imbecile!" Erlot seethed. Arlot just looked at him with a smug grin.

"Smitten, are we?' The other brother teased back. Erlot looked like he wanted to retort, but let it go as the girl came into earshot. Link looked at her warily, and striking green eyes reflected the same emotion. It seemed both of them were in a situation they didn't want to be in.

"Who is he?" She asked, glancing over at Erlot.

"We believe him to be the hero." Her eyes widened in surprise before her whole body began to relax. She let out a soft sigh as she began to smile.

"Oh, that's a relief. I thought you two were joining the group that wants me to lose my vegetarianism," Nova laughed. She took a few moments to compose herself again. "But what am I supposed to do with him? I didn't think the Nailyh were involved with this," she asked. Erlot glanced at Arlot who, in return, clumsily dropped Link. The blond stumbled for a moment until he caught his balance.

"He was in our boundaries," Arlot explained. "We thought it would be best to take him to you." Nova gave Link a onceover, eyes stopping at the bruise covering the side of his face.

"I guess you two also thought it'd be best to injure the hero as well? Did you even ask him why he came here? Do either of you even know his _name_?" Both brothers looked down at the ground. Nova rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Why don't you come with me?" She instructed Link, and then turned to the brothers "You two stay here!"

Link hurriedly followed her as she stormed away, suddenly wary of the hungry eyes from the Villagers on him and the lack of an eccentric demon at his side.


	6. Repressed Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written over the course of 2 months, so sorry if it doesn't exactly flow smoothly.

Ghirahim never knew how it was supposed to have ended for them. He was a man of many talents, but fortune telling was not one of them. However, there was a terrible ache in his bones that told him they shouldn't have ended so abruptly. Not just that, nothing in that god forsaken timeline should have ended so tragically. Ghirahim studied the ring in his hand. Even after all of this time, the sapphire that stood proudly on the ebony band still took his breath away. However, he couldn't yet bring himself to mindlessly trace the carved in words on the inside like he had done so many times before when exploring.

He wondered how Fi was, if she even still had a conscience. He used to visit her in the Sealed Grounds as the undergrowth grew thicker, and the Surface was slowly forgotten about. Of course, a mere pulse of the sword was the most he ever got in response. But as time continued to pass by, her aura grew less and less as the new Hero drew the sword time after time again. And with how breakable everything seemed in this timeline, he's be damned if he let this careless, idiotic Link wield her.

And with Link, he didn't even know where to begin. The original was even more careless and idiotic than the present one. He acted as if his red cape made him invincible. In the end, that obviously proved fatal. They were all just Hylia's pawns.

Then, there was the hero, the one from the sky. The one that he rejected at first, thinking he'd be like the original, but he had been taken by surprised to say the least. The daydreaming blond had been responsible, charming even. The demon's fingers subconsciously tightened around the ring. After the misfortune with putting his trust in that hero, the demon had decided to stay on the sidelines.

He watched from afar as the next hero donned a funny, talking hat, almost afraid the piece of clothing would spot and point him out. Then, he watched bemusedly as one hero split into four. They barely had time to do their missions amidst all of their quarrels. After that, the demon had to keep himself from cursing the goddesses as he watched the next hero have his childhood ripped away with him, merely replaced by a musical instrument.

After that, keeping up with the heroes grew... troublesome. There were new companions, new items, that told the tale of a long ago villainous demon.

He kept his distance as the next hero collected masks, a familiar one falling into the child's hands. However, when Hyrule became cloaked in darkness and a new hero was born, it was almost impossible for the demon to keep his presence hidden. He inwardly cheered as that mirror shattered into a million pieces, sealing that pesky imp away. He continued to keep his cover, staying far away from the next hero who had a strange interest in crossbows. It wasn't until he felt a strange pulling in his being that he had to return to the main stage.

He didn't fully recall the events that happened as he was once again used as an instrument in battle. He did remember two things, however.

The hero was absolutely beautiful in that timeline, determined sapphire eyes stared defiantly at him as a blue scarf billowed around his body. The demon wondered how the article of clothing never tripped him up.

He also remembered that the hero was brash, arrogant, and a complete turn off. Each new hero was supposed to be a re embodiment of the same soul, but they were never the same in personality. It was like meeting a new acquaintance each time. Which, perhaps, was the reason he never learned to let go of a certain hero. There was no closure, just a new conflicting, personality each time.

After he had to clash with the hero again, the demon had almost been relieved when no new timelines popped up. It was worrisome but a welcomed break nonetheless. With the absence of a new hero to study, the demon found himself finally mingling with society. He may have joined a clan of outcasts, but it was a clan nonetheless. He was content with life, content with mourning what could've been, content with trying to forget until the town grew raucous one morning, bubbling about a traveling pair.

Of course, It was the new hero and goddess. The demon knew then that he should run away, disappear somewhere, but he was too damn curious for his own good. He had never been so close to Link or Zelda when he wasn't fighting with them.

Ghirahim has found himself slowly walking down staircases, going outside as people gathered around the duo, and meeting the scathing eyes of Zelda. Everyone else's noise reduced to nothing but static as the girl turned toward him, Link confusedly followed suit. Her expression held no malice, but Ghirahim knew that she knew, knew of how he tried to kill her so long ago. Yet, no accusatory remarks would be made that day.

"Him," her voice rang with authority, silencing everyone. "He's the only one that can control the last Divine Beast."That was the last time Ghirahim had seen her so sure, so confident in her answer. The next months would be filled with anxiety and doubt for the young princess.

The ring in Ghirahim's hand disappeared into a flurry of diamonds. He may have screwed up one hundred years before, but that didn't mean he had completely lost yet.

\- - -

"No sign of the memory yet?" Link shook his head, growing discouraged as a full day had nearly passed them with no sign of a 'memory.' They had entered countless homes (distressing families), and ran along back allies, but nothing seemed significant to him yet.

"You're not going to just stumble upon it in broad daylight. Anything important or of significance always happens behind closed doors," a familiar voice chastised. Nova and Link both turned around in surprise. Instantly, the girl fell down to her knees, head bowed and hands clasped in front of her. Link gave a confused glance to Ghirahim, but the demon only let out a huff annoyance. "Get up, don't act like I'm some filthy hero or god," he all but snarled, dragging Nova back up to her feet.

"You've been gone for so long, but my grandparents told me about you-Ghirahim, right-and all that you did. You're a legend!" The formerly sophisticated and composed clan leader was all but jumping for joy. Ghirahim thought he might be sick.

"Link, let's go," he turned his attention from the hero back to the girl, "we'll catch up with you later." Despite looking like a kicked puppy, Nova did leave them alone as the pair made their way through the town.

"Two questions" Link signed. Ghirahim looked down at him expectantly." _First, what in the fresh fuck was that about?"_

"That is a story for another day," the demon rebuffed. Link scowled.

" _Why won't you tell me anything about you?"_

"I don't see the point in telling you my whole life story when you're just going to start remembering what happened anyways," he explained, waving his hands to and fro. The more frustrated the male was, it seemed the more he theatrically gestured with his hands. "It's redundant and pointless."

" _Fine, fine, drama queen, well why did you come back_?" Ghirahim's jaw tensed, as if he was recalling an unpleasant memory.

"To bury an old hatchet, get some closure," Ghirahim's hands grew more wild, and Link snapped out of agitation.

"Stop that," Link croaked out, his voice rough from not using it for over 100 years. Ghirahim jumped a little at Link's voice and looked at him with wide eyes as Link took his hands in his own, holding them still.

"And so he speaks," Ghirahim teased before pulling his hands away.

" _Your hand gestures were annoying me_ ," he signed. Ghirahim shrugged as they continued to walk.

"A lot of things about you annoy me but I don't go around grabbing your hands," he rebuffed, earning a glare from the other.

 _"At least I don't go around threatening to abandon people_ -"

"Oh look, we're here," the demon interrupted as they stopped in front on and old, crumbling building. The walls were an aged tan from baking in the sun and most of the roof had caved in. "After you," Ghirahim purred, adopting some sort of nonsensical accent as he opened the door for Link. The blond didn't know whether to roll his eyes or give the other a tip.

 _"You can't be serious. This is a two story death trap_." Link stood hesitantly in the doorway, eyes pleading with the demon.

"You're disrespecting my humble abode?" Ghirahim threw his hands into the air, a look of fake distress on his face.

" _Wait, this is your house_?" Link stepped into the building, curiosity overcoming his hesitance. Ghirahim followed, closing the door behind him. Darkness immediately enveloped them, their only guide dim light that flickered through the cracked walls.

"Used to be my house, I haven't been here in a long time." Link turned to the demon, squinting his eyes to make out his features. "We should probably head upstairs. There isn't going to be much down here," Ghirahim explained, placing a hand on the blond's shoulders to direct him. Link raised his hands to respond but figured Ghirahim wouldn't be able to see him.

"How long ago?" Link had cleared his throat, but his voice still came out rough and gravelly.

"Very," Ghirahim responded curtly, "I would have never let this place get in this condition if I had been living here."

Silence enveloped them after that, leaving them to strain their ears at the creaking of the floorboards and a tree rapping at a window. A few times Link had bumped into a wall or nearly collapsed table getting a chuckle out of Ghirahim.

"Alright, up you go Skychild," the demon instructed as the Hylian's boots scuffed nervously against the first step. Link turned, eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"What?" He asked.

"What?" Ghirahim echoed.

"What does Skychild mean?" At the question, he stiffened. He finally let go of Link's shoulder and brushed past him to go up the stairs. "Ghirahim!"

"I didn't call you Skychild," Ghirahim hollered over his shoulder. Link clambered up the stairs after the other, almost falling down them in the dark.

"Yeah, you did," the hero argued.

"Just drop it," Ghirahim stated, still not facing the other. "I liked you alot better when you didn't talk."

"Why are you like this!" Link stomped up the stairs now, the steps groaning from the strain of the impact. "You don't tell me anything, you shut me out, and you expect me to follow you around whenever you decide to show up and help me! I don't even know who you are!" Ghirahim finally whipped around, and Link suddenly felt small.

"You're right, you don't know me. I'm a stranger to you," he growled back, grabbing a fistful of the tunic the shorter male was wearing. "But I know you. I know what you did 100 years ago, I know what you felt 100 years ago, I know how you felt 100 years ago, and I can't just erase my memory like yours." Link's mouth was agape, but he couldn't think of anything to say. He didn't even know much about himself or how his life used to be. Ghirahim finally let go of him, sighing out of frustration. "Come on already, we need to find this forsaken memory." However, only a small thud sounded behind the demon. Ghirahim glanced over his shoulder curosly before rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Great fucking timing."

\- - -

_"I'm not sure I understand, Ghirahim admitted as he leaned over a wooden table. Messily drawn maps, blueprints, and pencils were strewn everywhere. Zelda stood beside the demon, pointing to one blueprint as Link stood across from them, staring._

_"I thought you said that you'd be able to control this thing," the girl cried, waving her hands at all the papers. Ghirahim simply shook his head._

_"I can control it, that's not the problem. I don't understand why you chose me," he explained, carefully studying the blonde. Her lips were taught and eyes guarded._

_"I just," she cleared her throat, "had a feeling you had experience with this creature," she vaguely said. Link shook his head at that._

_"That's impossible. The creature's been extinct for eons," Link interrupted. "Hyrule wasn't even a place yet when they were alive."_

_"So he speaks," the demon mumbled under his breath. Zelda looked panicked, gaze flashing between the two. Ghirahim decided to have some mercy on her. "I don't think I've properly introduced myself to you yet, Link. The name's Ghirahim, and I've been alive for far more than a few eons." He extended a hand to the boy who only looked at Zelda, silently pleading for clarification._

_"He's a demon, Link," she gushed out,_   
_wringing her hands nervously. The Hylian looked confused before his expression turned into one of anger._

_"No way, the stress has obviously gone to your head. If you think you're adding a demon to the Champions and giving him a Divine Beast, you've obviously gone mental," he signed. However, Zelda only looked at him with a confused, pleading expression. She hadn't had the time to learn sign language yet. Ghirahim let out a chuckle though, causing Link to whip his head around in alarm. "Can you speak sign language?"_

_"Had to keep myself busy over the years somehow," the demon signed back. Link's face went red from a toxic mixture of anger and embarrassment and stormed out of the room. Zelda gave the two men a concerned glance._

_"What was all of that about?" She asked. Ghirahim shook his head, still smiling._

_"Nothing to stress over, let's just get back to talking about this divine beast." Zelda gave another worried look but dropped the topic, launching into details about the mechanical contraption instead._

\---

When Link came to, he was greeted with Ghirahim's expectant face. "So?" The demon asked, voice gruff. Link blinked his eyes groggily before answering, which only seemed to make Ghirahim more impatient.

 _"How long have you been alive_?" He finally signed. The other shrugged nonchalantly.

"A long time," he said, causing more questions than answers for the hero. "But what exactly did you remember?"

" _Something about a 'Divine Beast,' and you needing to control it_ ," his hands grew shakier, unsure at the end, making the statement seem more like a question. " _The contraption looked animalistic, like a giant figurine come to life."_

"Yeah, it was structured around a-"

"Guys, where are you! Have you found the memory!" Nova's yelp cut the demon off, grabbing both of their attention. Apparently the girl was searching for them.

"We'll finish this conversation later," Ghirahim sighed, annoyance dripping into his voice.

 


	7. I Do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies, this is hella short

_Marriage._

_Ghirahim and Link both knew that their relationship was doomed from the start, but that didn't mean they couldn't fantasize about having a happy ending or spending the rest of their days together._

_"I want to marry you," Link stated. His back was pressed against Ghirahim, and the demon's arms were wrapped tightly around the hero as they sat beneath a tree in Faron. Neither knew exactly how late it was, but the sky had considerably darkened and was adorned with a smattering of stars. The temperature had dropped just low enough to verge on the uncomfortable state, but neither of them moved, taking comfort in the heat of the other and watching their breaths form white clouds in the air._

_"I can't give you my life," Ghirahim whispered back. He rested his chin atop Link's head, a frown forming on his lips. Link gave a little sigh before squeezing his eyes shut._

_"No, shut up, you're ruining it," the hero shot back, slightly distraught as he tried to concentrate on the fantasy that had been playing in his head. Ghirahim soon picked up that this was one of their 'play pretend' moments. If they pretended like everything was going to turn out fine for them enough, it would._

_Right?_

_"You were saying that you wanted to marry me," Ghirahim gently reminded him. Link's eyes immediately snapped open and he smiled in excitement._

_"Yes, we're going to marry each other," he stopped as if to take a breath but the seconds started to tick by and Ghirahim glanced down at him worriedly. Link turned to face him. "This is important, okay?" The blond's face held no trace of the playfulness he had been exuding just moments earlier. His lips were pressed tightly together, and his face looked completely serious._

_"Okay, I'm listening," Ghirahim encouraged. Although, he was a little timid about hearing what the other had to say._

_"Both of the rings need to be black." Ghirahim was going to cry. He was going to fucking cry. Link spoke so earnestly, and both of them knew that this wasn't going to happen on any plane of existence. "Your's will have a sapphire on it, and mine will have a ruby."_

_"Why a sapphire and ruby?" Ghirahim had to applaud himself that his voice only cracked a little bit. Link was too eager to answer the question, like he had been planning this for weeks._

_"The sapphire will remind you of me. You call me Skychild, and the sky is blue afterall." Link said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And the ruby wll remind me of you, and how much blood you've made me lose in battle."_

_"Excuse me, what?" Ghirahim choked out, causing Link to laugh._

_"I'm kidding. Red is the color of power, strength, love, and desire, which I would say apply to you on the battlefield and in between the sheets," Link joked, causing Ghirahim to turn only a mild shade of pink._

_"You're going to be the death of me, Link," Ghirahim groaned out loud. Link's face fell somber once more._

_"I hope not," he whispered, more to himself than the demon. Ghirahim's hands came to rest at his cheeks, cupping his face upwards._

_"Hey, it's going to be alright, okay?" Ghirahim tone was almost authoritative. He needed at least Link to believe that even if he couldn't."I'm going to get you your ring, and it's going to be okay." He lightly kissed the other on the forehead before letting his hands fall to the blond's shoulders instead. Link gave him a small, sad smile._

_"Yeah, of course, we'll be fine and get married." His voice lacked any enthusiasm, and his eyes hardly left the ground._   
_In that instant, Ghirahim knew he would be getting no rest until he crafted that ring to perfection. Damn his master and damn the spirit maiden! Link was his top priority._

-/-

 After informing Nova that they had indeed found the memory and would be off, the clan leader had begged to travel with them, but Ghirahim and Link both agreed it would be n her (or their mental state's) best interest. They had finally set foot on their way back to Impa, but it seemed that Ghirahim's sour attitude still hung in the air. Link simply watched him for awhile of their travels, knowing that trying to start a conversation would be of no use unless he wanted insults hurled at himself.

The hero found himself realizing that Ghirahim's beauty looked almost artificial, alienistic. He lacked any eyebrows, or facial hair for that matter, but his actual hair grew thick and hung down most of his back. And, with startling alarm as Link's eyes raked over the demon's torso, he realized Ghirahim didn't have nipples. The blond hugged his arms around his chest self consciously.

As the clouds departed from the sky and the sun sank into its evening slumber, it seemed that the demon lord felt a little better. "We should probably stop, so you can rest for the night," Ghirahim said, finally breaking the silence between them.

" _No, we can make it to the village before I sleep_ ," Link signed. Ghirahim shook his head.

"Don't be dense. If we run into any monsters now, you'll be good as dead if you don't have the energy to fight bank," The demon lectured. "Trust me, stopping this much isn't ideal, but we can't do much about it." Link was ready to argue more but stopped himself. Catching the other in a good mood was rare, and he wanted some questions answered.

 Ghirahim lead the hero towards a field where three or four good sized rocks sat. They came up above Link's waist and made good chairs, even if they were a bit hard. The taller make crouched down, placing his hands right above the grassy ground and shutting his eyes. The hero watched in awe as flames suddenly sprang up, playfully licking at the demon's hands. However, Ghirahim made no move to indicate that it hurt as he kept casting his magic until they had a decently sized campfire that seemed to be contained by some magical barrier.

"You can go to sleep. I'll watch." Link looked at Ghirahim. His hands were slightly shaking, and his eyes were dropping, threatening to close. He may pretend like he could go on though anything without stopping but using magic drained him.

 " _That's fine. I wanted to stay up a bit longer anyways_." Ghirahim scowled at that, plopping down on one of the rocks.

 "If you weren't going to sleep, we could've kept traveling," Ghirahim sourly bit out. Link used every ounce of self control that he had to not point out that that's what he had wanted to do from the beginning. Instead, he calmly breathed out and sat down beside his companion.

 _"I want to talk_ ," he started out, but Ghirahim had already gotten another attitude at those simple words. What did he have against talking? " _I want to know about you."_

 "How many times do I have to tell you that you'll remember me? You'll know every little detail after you visit a few places," he huffed out, crossing his arms over his chest.

 " _Please Ghirahim, I'm sure I'm not going to remember everything that happened 100 years ago._ " For a split second, it looked like Ghirahim was going to open up to him. The way his body shifted more towards Link, accidentally bumping their knees together, the way his slender fingers curled around Link's shoulder, and the way his eyelashes fluttered as he actually thought about it it gave the blond hope. It also made Link confused as to why his heart acted like he was running a marathon.

 "We're leaving," Ghirahim announced, pulling away from the other. Link stared up at him dumbly.

"I think I've made it abundantly clear that I refuse to tell you my life story, but I think I might know where another memory is," he explained. "However, if I take you there, there will be no more questions from you, got it?" Ghirahim looked at Link expectantly, waiting for an answer.

 _"I promise_." Link knew that was a giant lie. If anything, catching another glimpse into his past would fill him with even more questions.

That seemed to be the only agreement Ghirahim needed though as he stood up from the rock. However, as he tried to take a step, it seemed that creating the campfire really had drained him, and he tripped over his own feet. If it hadn't been for Link thinking fast and jumping up to catch the other, the demon lord would have face planted. Ghirahim gave the hero a wry smile as Link still held onto him, afraid that if he let go, Ghirahim would collapse.

 "Thanks," Ghirahim muttered out. Link didn't know what to say. It would seem that he was having heart palpitations again. Collecting himself, he finally let go of the other. Ghirahim flicked his wrist, and the fire evaporated, leaving only burnt grass in its wake. "Onwards we go since you're so dead set on not sleeping."

 Link just nodded silently and let Ghirahim take the lead. The more he thought about what just happened, the hotter his face grew. He must've looked like an idiot clinging onto the other. He shook his head, trying to clear the embarrassing thoughts. He had more important things to focus on, like where in the name of Hylia Ghirahim was taking him.


	9. Train Me

_He knew the hero would be travelling through Faron; he just didn't know where. And after an afternoon of searching and trying to swallow down his nerves, he was about ready to give up looking for Link._

_"Ghirahim?" The voice accompanied by approaching footsteps was enough alone to draw out a small smile from the demon lord. However, his fingers drummed against his outer thighs as he turned around to face the hero, giving away how nervous he actually felt. "Are you okay? You look like you're about to puke," Link laughed, crinkling his nose._

_Ghirahim forced out a short chuckle, trying to slip into his cocky persona, but it just didn't quite seem to work. "Okay," the demon muttered more to himself than the hero, "I have a reason for trying to find you today."_

_For a moment, fear flashed across the blond's face, and Ghirahim wondered what was going through the other's head. "Alright, well, I'm all ears," Link encouraged, but the smile on his lips was full of worry. The demon decided to ignore it for the time being._

_"Okay, I tried to make it as perfect as I could by hand, but I had to end up cheating and use magic to smooth out the rough edges," Ghirahim laughed as he took Link's hands into his own. The other looked extremely perplexed. "And, I want to add that I have no idea if I'm doing this right. I'm not entirely educated in Hylian culture."_

_"What in Hylia's name are you talking about?" Link's grip tightened on his hands, and his voice took on a note of distress. Ghirahim paused, concerned about why Link looked on the brink of tears._

_"What's wrong?" Link sniffled and pulled his hands away at the question._

_"I hate you so much," the blond managed to gasp out before the tears started to spill down his face. Ghirahim took a step towards him, ready to console the hero, but Link backed away._

_"Link," the demon pleaded, not knowing what he had done to so suddenly upset the other._

_"You are not about to do this to me Ghirahim!" The blond's voice raised, and his hands tightened to fists at his sides. "You are not about to stand here and break up with me-"_

_Ah, there it was._

_"Link!" Ghirahim snapped, making Link grow silent as he sniffled. I don't know why you think I sought you out to end our relationship, but that's not why I'm here." Link's sniffling slowed down a bit as he tried to comprehend the words._

_"Then why are you here and talking about Hylian culture and..." Link's breath seemed to sharply inhale on its own accord as the realization hit him. He looked at the demon with wide eyes as Ghirahim took a knee in front of him._

_"I was actually wondering if you'd agree to marry me," Ghirahim cracked a smirk as a ring appeared in his hands._

_"If you're joking right now," Link started, but Ghirahim cut him off._

_"I'm not Link. I don't want anyone else by my side for the rest of my life besides you." Ghirahim meant those words with his whole heart. He'd accept their doomed fate and let this make-believe romance play out if it made Link happy. However, he might have been more hesitant to accept such a grisly fate if he knew how easily he'd be discarded afterwards. "So, is that a yes or a no?"_

_Link broke out in a grin. The smile was a much better look on him than the tears, Ghirahim decided. "Of course it's a yes, you doofus!_

_The demon over dramatically flourished a hand, and Link peeled one of his fingerless gloves off before setting his hand in Ghirahim's. With an ease, that made the hero wonder if the other had secretly practiced this before, slid the ring onto Link's finger. The boy spread his fingers as he held up his hand, watching the sunlight catch in the ruby embedded in the black band. The moment felt surreal, like a dream._

_"Do you like it?" Link numbly noted that Ghirahim must have stood up as he felt the taller male embrace him from behind. The blond simply nodded, at a loss for words. Tears pricked at his eyes again, but this time, for a much different reason._

_"It'sâ€”it's perfect," he finally got out as he glanced up at Ghirahim. A soft smile was on the demon's lips, and Link had to suppress the urge to kiss him. "I love you so much."_

_The other chuckled, pulling Link tighter. "I love you too." But how long can we keep playing pretend?_

\- - -

Ghirahim was a _dead_ man as far as Link was concerned. Shortly after they started traveling to where the demon thought a memory was, they had the misfortune of running into a pack of wolves. They didn't pose much of a threat; wolves were just a general nuisance. However, Ghirahim refused to help him fend off the creatures.

_"If you think you have even the slightest chance of winning future battles, you need to train," the demon laughed._

Link scowled as he remembered the other's words and swung his rusted broadsword a little harder. His nearly-destroyed blade finally made purchase with the pack leader, ripping through its fur and skin. With a few more slashes, the hero was able to finish the beast off. The rest of the wolves soon ran away with their tails in between their legs after they realized their leader had been gravely wounded.

"Not too bad," Ghirahim acknowledged from where he was leaned against a tree. Calming himself, Link slowly sheathed his sword before turning to face the other. The demon laughed at the look of annoyance on his face which just made the hero's blood boil even more.

" _You are insufferable_ ," Link signed, his hand gestures quick and jerky, betraying how mad he really was. It seemed that it was a rule that one of them always had to be mad at the other's idiocy while they travelled together.

"You'll thank me later when you run into a lynel," Ghirahim retorted, pushing himself off of the tree. Link huffed and crossed his arms over his chest as his companion approached him. He was all but bristling when Ghirahim placed a hand on his shoulder. But despite his obvious temper at the other, the action still sent goosebumps racing down his arms. Irritated at the reaction, he glared harder at the demon. "Now quit moping, we're almost at the place."

" _We wouldn't even have to make this sidequest to a memory if you'd just give me more information about you and my past_!" Link shrugged his shoulders, letting that hand fall limply from his shoulders.

"How many times _must_ I go over this," Ghirahim snapped, his patience waning. "You'll remember me, you'll remember your past! But if I told you everything about what happened 100 years ago, your journey would be over before it even started."

Link was frustrated that he was given the same answer Ghirahim always gave him in their arguments, but he eventually sighed and uncrossed his arms. What was the use of them getting into a quarrel every two seconds?

" _Fine, lead the way_ ," Link signed, and Ghirahim immediately turned, his long hair almost smacking Link in the face. The hero scowled at his back as he followed. Would it kill the demon to cut his hair like he had done to Link's? Not that the blond was complaining, however. It suited the other. The longer hair framed the demon's lithe frame in a flattering manner, but his mind kept travelling back to the first memory he uncovered and he couldn't help but to think about Ghirahim's shorter hair. "As much as I enjoy your silence, staring daggers into my back is a tad unsettling," Ghirahim said, breaking their terse silence.

 _You need to trust Ghirahim, Link_...

Link's eyes widened and he nearly tripped as the feminine voice--Zelda--visited him after days of absence. His scowl returned as he processed the message. He knew he was supposed to play the role of a hero, but how could he be expected to trust someone like the demon lord?

As Link became lost in his own thoughts, minutes ticked by as the duo travelled. The grassy plains soon became dotted with trees and roots ripped through the ground. In the distance, the crashing of a waterfall could be heard. Ghirahim finally halted once they reached a tree much thicker than the others. It stuck out like a sore thumb against the other spindly ones.

"We're here," Ghirahim unceremoniously announced. Link didn't acknowledge the comment. Instead, he walked with hand outstretched to the tree. He couldn't explain what the sensation was exactly like, but he was inexplicably drawn it. As his fingers grazed the knotted bark, darkness consumed him.

\- - -

_This Link was interesting. He was a nice refresher from the past heroes that seemed to lack a defined personality. Of course, it was all the nicer that he could actually observe this reincarnation up close and not from the sidelines._

_Link rolled his shoulders after he unsheathed the master sword, glaring at the demon. Zelda had insisted Link be the one to train the new champion even though Link made it abundantly clear he resented the idea. For some reason, he was the only one on the one team that thought a_ _ demon _ _should not be given a Divine Beast._

_Well, except for Revali. That seemed to be the only thing the two could agree on even though the Rito's reasoning was a little more self indulgent. Link figured he was just upset that he wouldn't be the only one controlling a flying Divine Beast._

_"Okay, let's see how well you can do with your magic," Link actually spoke, not able to use sign language while he wielded his sword. However, the demon lord didn't attack him. Ghirahim seemed hesitant to start their combat which annoyed Link even more. "What in Hylia's name are you waiting for?"_

_"I don't want to end up accidentally maiming Hyrule's savior if I'm being perfectly honest," Ghirahim shot back. Link's eye twitched at that._

_"Do you really think you'd be able to even land a blow on me?" He questioned, being too overconfident for his own good. Ghirahim watched him amusedly as the hero approached him, fuming._

_"If you logically assessed the situation, maybe not. But acting like a child and letting your emotions control your actions..." Ghirahim paused, drawing the phrase out. With a content hum and a small smile, he suddenly flicked a dagger in Link's direction. The small blade pierced his chest strap,â€”but not a millimeter further before it fell to the groundâ€”and Link felt the sheath, as well as his shield, fall to the grass along with his broken straps. "Let's just say it could prove fatal."_

_"I'm a valuable asset to your team, but I will admit that I am not stronger than you. However, when you crack under the stress of trying to keep your princess safe, your defenses go down, and your attacks become sloppy. You make up for the lackluster performance with fake confidence," Ghirahim lectured, much to Link's dismay. "Stop telegraphing your moves like such a novice and actually try to train me, you little shit. Despite your feelings about me, I thought you'd trust the Princess' decision."_

_"Do you really think I'd question Princess Zelda's decisions? She rules over us for a reason," Link snarled. However, despite his anger, he dropped his sword to the ground. Ghirahim gave him a questioning glance at the gesture. With his hands freed, he switched over to sign language. "_ _ But just because she chose you doesn't mean I have to trust you."  _

_Ghirahim barked out a short laugh. "What do you think I'm going to do, Link? Is it just because I'm a demon that you don't trust me?"_

_"_ _ No, Princess Zelda told me about you _ _." Link briefly put his hands down to his sides, now hesitant to sign. The blond worried at his bottom lip._

_"Told you what?" Ghirahim approached Link, temper rising. He knew that the current reincarnated Princess, for some reason, had knowledge of the timelines and what his role in them was. She knew how he had acted towards every Link, and he absolutely hated it. However, she had swore she wouldn't notify Link about anything that happened between them in the past._

_"_ _ I can't. I was ordered to keep it secret _ _." Link fidgeted nervously, contradicting his prior persona as Ghirahim got closer._

_"You can't keep it a secret from me," Ghirahim snarled, jabbing a finger at the hero's chest. "How are you supposed to keep a part of my own life secret from me?" Link swatted the hand away, taking a step back._

_"Whenever you meddle in the hero's life, you're the villain. How am I supposed to trust you?" Link blurted out, trusting his voice more than his shaking hands. Ghirahim didn't know whether to be relieved that Zelda left out an important detail or to be enraged that she told Link he was purely evil. He chose to do the latter._

_"You don't know anything about me," he growled back. Ghirahim tried to steady his suddenly erratic breathing by pacing. Link's eyes followed his every move, making sure he didn't go on the offensive. Suddenly, the taller male disappeared behind a flurry of diamonds. When he appeared, he sat on the branch of a tree above Link. After he reappeared from his teleportation spell, he seemed to have a much calmer composure. "I haven't properly wielded my magic in years. It's much stronger than it should be, and when I'm excited, it tends to get out of my control. That's why you were ordered to train me."_

_"So, you're too strong?" Link sarcastically joked. Ghirahim simply hopped down from the branch, landing on his feet without any signs that the impact pained him._

_"Precisely," he replied, "Now train me, you little shit." Link glared at him._

_"Stop calling me that," he ordered as he bent down to pick up his sword._

_"I will once you train me, you little shit," Ghirahim replied, voice thick with snark and an underlying tone of actual ausemment._

_\---_

When Link came to, his fingers were digging into the tree. With a small groan of pain, he loosened his grip. "So, did that answer any of your questions?" Ghirahim asked once he realized the other was awake.

No, it really hadn't. " _My past self was just as distrustful of you as I am now_ ," he signed. That actually drew a snicker from the demon lord as he leaned against the tree.

"Yeah, at first you were. I'll admit that, but I actually became your closest..." Ghirahim closed his eyes, collecting his thoughts. "I guess _friend_ would be the correct term."

Link highly doubted that but chose not to voice his disbelief. Instead, he flexed his fingers, still feeling the ache of him white knuckling the tree. " _You used to be able to produce magic without a problem, what changed_?" Ghirahim sighed, facing away from the hero.

"Don't be so foolish as to think I'm weak in my current state," he warned, "I just have to rely more on my swordsmanship now than my spiritual abilities." Link didn't know how to respond, so Ghirahim decided to fill in the mute gap. "I think it's time we pay a certain old lady a visit, don't you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated! xoxo


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